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Original poster

Re-usable nappys, minefield! Help!

45 replies

mimpim · 02/07/2006 13:15

I am six months pregnant with my first baby at mo and trying to weigh up the pros and cons of investing in re-usable nappys.
But the more I read, the more confused I get!
From whether or not I will be able to cope (I don't have a tumble dryer)to which ones to use!
And now I am reading about these wool wraps, I am a reasonable knitter with a knitter extrodinare for a mother, we love making things rather than buying, but do they go over re-usables or throwaways?
And where will I find patterns?
HELP!

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SenoraPostrophe · 02/07/2006 13:31

You def don't need a tumble drier and if you're thinking of using reusables from a green point of view it's better not to use one anyway. And you save more money that way!

I coped fine with reusables and I am a bit on the lazy side to be honest. I found that the vast majority of baby clothes can be washed at 60 with the nappies, so the washing machine doesn't have to go on twice a day.

re type - I use tots bots and really like them, but they do take ages to dry. I dry them outside in summer and on the radiators in winter though and it's not too much hassle. the plus side of taking ages to dry is that they are less likely to leak and have to be changed less frequently than other nappies. I do have a few flast ones for emergencies though.

finally knitted wraps - I have no idea! I would guess that you use nylon yarn and that they go over reusables like fleece wraps, but I wouldn't personally use fleece wraps in the day (too hot).

tissy · 02/07/2006 13:47

wool wraps go over a washable nappy (that doesn't already have a waterproof layer), they are very easy to knit (I'm told) but you need to use WOOL!

SenoraPostrophe · 02/07/2006 13:47

but surely they leak then?

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tissy · 02/07/2006 13:48

here's a crocheted one...

SenoraPostrophe · 02/07/2006 13:49

and wool would be awkawrd to wash too.

tissy · 02/07/2006 13:51

here's a free pattern for a knitted one; if your Mum is a knitter exraordinaire, she'll be able to downsize it

tissy · 02/07/2006 13:54

no, they don't leak! Wool contains lanolin, which resists water. Wool wraps form a layer between the wet nappy and the outer clothes.They are rather more porous that PUL, so the nappy can dry out a bit by evaporation.
They work on exactly the same principles as fleece wraps.

Not difficult o wash at all; squeeze out once in a while in a little Woolite, then rinse, roll in a towel and spread ot flat to dry.

tissy · 02/07/2006 13:56

if they leaked, Miranda wouldn't be selling so many of them

as I can't knit we used the Bumpy wool wraps- they are great, but rather boring to look at!

tissy · 02/07/2006 13:59

I love these stripy ones!

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 15:10

Friend has no tumble drier and likes (I think) bamboozles and fluffles.

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 15:10

I'm using Bumgenius which dry superfast but there seems to be a knack in using them without getting leaks.

UniSarah · 02/07/2006 16:31

We have no tumble drier,useing Motherease One size and Bumbles.I line dry when ever possible ( and thats most of the time, a breeze is a wonderfull thing, better even than sunshine some days) but can dry 6 over night in the airing cupboard in extremis while the rest are pegged onto airing rack in spare room. Even that way all dry enough to use in about 24 hours. We own (IIRC) 20 nappies and I wash them when only 6 ish left, its about every other day, maybe 3 days if boys been easy.
I think the key to succesful line drying is to have removable or fold out boosters rather than a very thick nappy.

Original poster

mimpim · 02/07/2006 20:19

Gosh! That was a lot of information and it has really made me feel a lot more confident about giving it a go.
I have seen the ones that have removable parts and do think that they will probably be best for ease of drying.
Still a little scared of the costs involved, I have a sister in law who had them bought for her by my parents and she did not use them in the end, so I am mega worried about spending out all that money and feeling overawed by it.
But I see you can get the bumbles that are suitable from birth to potty training, so surely in two years I will make some use of them all??

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 20:38

Thing is, if you don't get on with them, you can sell them on at a very good price. Disposables are a huge amount of money (quite apart from the environmental cost) if you add it up over the next, say, 3 years you'll have a child in nappies.

I spent £199 on a birth-to-potty pack of Bumgenius. Looking at Tescos, the cheapest nappy (not Tescos value) works out at 11p a nappy. At 4 per day for 3 years, that's over £480.

tassis · 02/07/2006 20:47

tissy i'm loving that first wrap, the crocheted one

might have to send link to my mum...

SoupDragon · 02/07/2006 20:56

But that crocheted one is by Tickle Turdle! What sort of a name is that??!

FlameBoo · 02/07/2006 20:57

Yay!!! Another person to hassle into cloth

wam-bamboo are excellent bamboo nappies - slightly cheaper than the tots bamboozles, and are a slimmer fit (tried my btp size on a 3 week old today and he didn't look insanely huge in it ).

I have just gotten into the world of wool wraps too and am loving them - especially woollywraps (the stripey ones). But if you and your mum are knittererererers anyway, there are a lot of patterns online, so you could just make loads of your own. Wool is so easy too - just lanolise a few times, then it is wash every now and then if they start to retain a smell/are soiled, and lanolise once a month. DS wears his for bed (not got a well fitting day one yet), and it can go 12 hours, every night, for nearly 2 weeks without needing washing as long as it is hung and aired each day!

tassis · 02/07/2006 20:59

Flameboo, can you explain "just lanolise a few times" to a beginner please?

Flamesparrow · 02/07/2006 21:10

Sorry - it takes about 3 lots of lanonlising for a wrap to get its full absorbancy iyswim. I think the woollywraps instructions say to soak them overnight in lanolin, then use for a week, and do it again for a total of 3 times, then you can drop to just lanolising once a month.

Did that make sense?

You can buy liquid lanolin stuff, or solid which is cheaper (kind of looks like vaseline). I started with the liquid, but realised how much I loved wool, and that I keep bidding on more wraps on ebay, so switched to solid!!

UniSarah · 02/07/2006 22:11

IIRC we have spent about 150 on our nappies.The bumbles (13) I bought new, the mother ease (7) where 2nd hand. 2 new small wraps 1 2nd hand, then I have 4 medium and 4 large wraps all 2nd hand. oh and 3 nippas new. So it can be done for not huge money. I kept an eye open for 2nd hand nappy stuff while I was pg and let it be known I was in the market for 2nd hand.

Bumble do work from birth unless your babe is tiny.Our boy started in them in wk 2 when he was about 9lb, to start with they look huge, but babes grow quick. Lots of people use disys for the 1st week or two till the pooh gets less sticky , this is sensible as meconium stains horribly.

CorrieDale · 03/07/2006 06:25

I was struck by your comment about your SIL buying nappies and not using them. If you go on the Nappy Lady's webiste, the classified ads bit, you'll see that there are quite a few new nappies for sale for just that reason! And I can understand why. We always intended to use real nappies and bought a pack of 4 different types, to try them out on DS when he was newborn. There they were, beautifully pre-washed and laid out but when it came to actually using them, I suddenly felt a little freaked - disps seemed so easy and the nappy & wrap seemed overwhelming. And the washing loomed over me. I think I might have turned tail and fled if I hadn't told everyone I was going to use real nappies, lol! So rather than lose face, I just held my nose and jumped in IFKWIM. And I've never regretted it. So be aware that the jitters are common but if you get through them it doesn't take long to find that real nappies are easy, comfortable and fun. And just a leeetle bit addictive!

tassis · 03/07/2006 09:35

Woohoo!

Think my mum's going to knit/crochet me some.

They're so cute.

Flamesparrow · 03/07/2006 09:50

I want your mum

I keep meaning to have a nice little chat with my aunt... she loves knitting, but her (pregnant) daughter has banned her from doing any more baby knitting - I could keep her hands occupied

Original poster

mimpim · 03/07/2006 18:35

I heard somewhere that there is a government scheme that loans you nappys for a while to see if you will cope or not, but I heard it so long ago I am worried I am now making it up!
I think I will bring it up at my antinatal class tommorrow, see if my midwife has any clues. We are VERy far north so sometimes we miss out on the things the central belt get.
Next thing is to decide which make I will go with. Another scary decision!
It's all so scary and a little daunting, why don't i make life easy for myself!!
I liked that note about cost, £480 over three years!
Did you find that Bum genius have worked well for you, right from the start Soupdragon?
Are those ones with removable parts?

OP posts:

Flamesparrow · 03/07/2006 18:55

The council schemes depends on which area you live... I've got a link somewhere of a list - I'll try and find it later

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